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[–]ThrowMeAway2879 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

homosexuality was considered a mental illness and it was not that long ago that it was removed from the DSM.

I've found a useful shorthand for whether a condition is an illness or not is the question whether it needs treatment. Does being gay degrade your quality of life (in and of itself, disregarding societal pressures)? No, it does not, therefore it needs no treatment, therefore it's not an illness.

Discounting the transtrenders, trans people have or at least claim gender dysphoria. They 'can't live with their body' and need or want treatment. So it's an illness, because in untreated form it (by itself) negatively trans people's quality of life.

You can't say "I need surgical intervention and permanent hormone treatments to live my life" and in the same breath claim that you don't suffer from an illness.